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Model of Downtown, Houston


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Hello my friends! I'm Rudy, the one who posted about the BriarLake Plaza model that I obtained about 5 months ago. I wrote about my interest in architecture since I was around 12-years-old, and constructed model buildings since that time.

I wanted to post some images of a project I've been working on for about 8 months, and that is a quick mass, study model of downtown, Houston! I've used nothing but 110 lb cardstock, and simple modeling greenery when it comes to the grass, bushes, and trees. I will be working on the northeastern section of downtown soon where Minute Maid Park resides.

You will see where I detailed Sam Houston Park on the west side. Just simple small "houses" and church along the pathways. I detailed Discovery Green to a similar layout to the actual design.

I have not built this to an accurate scale as far as measurement goes. I just go by skyline images showing the heights of the buildings to one another. This model started out with the Wells Fargo Plaza, so after that was done, I went from there to build the other surrounding buildings. Before I knew it, I was looking at Google/Bing maps to see aerial images of the roofs to get an idea of the overall shape of the building. Toyota Center was fun to make!

I went as far as making the Capitol Tower (which hasn't even began construction) and placing it in its proper spot. That is in an individual picture so it can be seen better.

I hope you like this model, and enjoy looking at the photographs. I will post more when newer additions are made. 

The last four images are of the model I made when I was around 19-years-old in 1988. It was made out of manila folders and I added color and "windows" to the buildings. The humidity corrupted this model in many ways lol, but was eventually destroyed when the shelf it was sitting on gave way and collapsed to the floor. The buildings were too crushed, as you can imagine, so I never attempted to reassemble it. All I have are the photos to remember it by.  :(

 

 

 

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This is remarkable work! Thanks for sharing your interest with us. I'm going to use the skyline shot as my desktop background for a while.

 

Any plans in the future to include metrorail?

 

Thank you for your awesome comment! Feel free to use the images for personal use! Will I include MetroRail on the model? lol...Probably not. I would if the model had been more detailed, but at that point, I just want the model to exhibit itself on the main structures in downtown. Yes, I got miniature for the detail in Sam Houston Park, but it's a part of the downtown layout as far as "structures of an important sight". But nah, if I put MetroRail on there, I'd have to include every light pole and bus stops lol. Thanks again!

Wow, very impressive sir!

 

Thank you, Howard Huge! I've enjoyed working on this model, and who knows how far out I'll go if I can't stop! :P

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Coolest thing I've seen in a long time.

 

Thank you for that inspiring input! It's about to really get interesting when I have to make Minute Maid Park!! (Should I add the little train? lol)

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very impressive!  you're my new favorite haifer, rudyu!  i've often wondered if one could make a living building models of buildings.  i would do it for fun if i knew how.  great job.

 

Wow! I can feel the excitement in your comment! And I truly appreciate it! I get excited myself knowing that I'm blessed to be able to do this sort of hobby. And hey, I think everyone could do this as long as they have a good eye for "copying" things in their minds and applying that to certain materials in order to make a miniature of it. I'm just happy I still have all my fingers left after slicing them a few good times using the X-acto knife lol.  And you are now my favorite Mod!! Thanks for deleting those goof-ups I made. Bless you and your family! :D

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Both your present and past efforts are genuinely remarkable. It really shows what time and passion can create at any age.

 

With regard to the one you made in the 80s, how did you go about planning it? Maps? Photos? Can you talk about some of the differences in taking on the project then and now?

 

 

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Both your present and past efforts are genuinely remarkable. It really shows what time and passion can create at any age.

 

With regard to the one you made in the 80s, how did you go about planning it? Maps? Photos? Can you talk about some of the differences in taking on the project then and now?

 

Thank you for the gratifying words!

What a great question you asked about planning and making the first model because Internet mapping wasn't available back then! :o  I used the downtown map from Key Maps, Inc. to place the streets in their proper order. If I can recall correctly, most of the buildings shapes from above were on the "squares" that they occupied. I also took a lot of pictures of the skyscrapers when my dad (RIP 1988) would take me downtown to walk around and just be near my glass and stone friends. I did take General Drafting in my senior year in high school but really didn't pay attention much because it was mostly about drawing floor plans, and I wasn't interested as much for "design", but rather making models of the structures themselves. However, my model was used in the annual art contest, and I'm proud to have won first place and "Best of Show" with it!

And those are the methods I used for planning and constructing the first model.

The main difference in making the current model is size and keeping it simple with no detail to the structures themselves. Now that I think about it, I should've added some color/windows to the buildings but of course, that would've taken a lot of tedious work, which I'm not allergic to, but again, I just wanted to keep it simple so the skyline and downtown area could just be recognized. As I mentioned before, I'm using heavy cardstock for the buildings so I don't have to worry about humidity warping the structures. Yes, they can still be easily crushed under pressure, but I'm doing my BEST to keep this model from ALL harm. I did have to replace two skyscrapers due to one of my cats nibbling on them lol. I laughed it off and just simply made another skyscraper! :lol:

While making the first downtown model in the mid 80's, I started on making a miniature of the houses on my street, then placing them on their lots. I had about 8 houses made, but then lost interest. I gave the individual house models to the residents who lived in them so they could, well, have a tiny model of their house! Each house was about 2 inches long and around 1 inch wide, but they were very detailed with color and windows. Just about any structure I saw in a photo, I could make a miniature model of it. I recently made a 3 inch long miniature of a funeral casket that actually opened on the "head" portion of it. I mentioned in a previous reply that as long as you can mentally see a 3D image of an object, then "visually" see it already made in miniature, it can be done by using various materials. Again, you have to have a good eye and see the detail that usually goes unnoticed.

Again, thank you for the kind words and great questions! Bless you and your family! :D  

 

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Awesome work! A hobby I dreamed about but never picked up. Please post updates! Have you ever thought about making models for buildings like the Bank of the South West Tower and other that never were built?

 

Thanks a bunch for the nice reply! And yes, I will be posting further updates as I add another section. I know I'll have to do the northeast section that will include Minute Maid Park, and then off to the south/southwest from Clay St. to I-45. That will include 1600 Louisiana, 1400 Smith, and 1600 Smith. Don't get me wrong, there are some days I wake up and go, "Blahh, I don't feel like working on it today." lol...Usually I have to look at my other models to be inspired to put a full day in to the model. I'm in no rush to complete it, because as I've mentioned before, I'm not so sure just how far out this model will go. Probably just the immediate downtown area. Perhaps later I'll work on a "Galleria area" model.

As far as making the skyscrapers that were never built, oh my, yes I have thought about making them and placing them on the spots they were planned to be placed. To be honest, I've thought about designing one of my own supertalls and seeing how they would look here, and where would be a good place to put them lol. It's like I would be my own architect....designer, planner, and model maker all in one! If I do make something, I'll post images here and see what everyone thinks about it. Would be fun to get feedback on that!

I encourage all of you who have thought about making models as a hobby to put some consideration in to it. I'm sure you have seen the paper models you print out and put together? I do the same thing but I draw each side to the building on a solid piece of paper that has the proper "height" of the building. Then I lightly use the X-acto knife to go down the edges of the building to be able to fold them in their proper direction. As the paper models have the extra "tab" that is on the end, I use one, as well, to glue to the other side and, bingo, you have a building! Just place a piece of cardstock that covers the top/bottom portions of the building (with a little hanging over), and simply cut around the formation of the building. Then you have a roof and footprint making a solid structure! Once time goes by, you eventually learn how to construct models that may be a little more "difficult" in shapes. As I have from the past, we all learn how to accommodate our talents with improvements!

Thanks again for the kind words. All the best to you and your family! :D

 

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Amazing work. Like some others mentioned, I would love to see those towers never built in that schematic. You truly have a talent and the patience to go along with it. Can't wait to see any future projects. Beside Houston, any other city that speaks to you enough for you to maybe begin another project? ;)

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Amazing work. Like some others mentioned, I would love to see those towers never built in that schematic. You truly have a talent and the patience to go along with it. Can't wait to see any future projects. Beside Houston, any other city that speaks to you enough for you to maybe begin another project? ;)

 

Thank you for your positive input and words!

To be honest, I've thought of making a model of other cities, but I'm so "Houston Proud" that I truly don't want to! lol Not that I would feel I was neglecting or "two-timing" my own city, I just feel I should offer most of my talent up to my home town. I say that now, but later on I may change my mind. :P

Although I can tell you now that Tokyo is definitely NOT on my list! That city would take the rest of my life to make!  :lol: 

 

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Ok, so I will set the bait, because I am a HTown lover myself. Woodlands, and Greenspoint? Sugarland? West chase? Energy Corridor? Memorial city? UT? MT? Anything along the Sam Houston Loop? Or the Tomball Dev.?

 

Yes! All of those are possible models in the making! Those would be a lot "simpler" being they are in much smaller areas. I'm even thinking of the Texas Medical Center being next because of it's nice structures. And no way will I call "model making" quits! It's in my blood until the day I die, then after that, I'll be making a model of Heaven or wherever I go lol..... :lol:

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This is beyond fascinating.

Excellent work

 

Thank you for your nice comment! I'll be posting more of my projects in the near future so watch out for them! Blessings to you and your family. :D

 

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Here is what the model looked like as it started out. Again, the Wells Fargo Plaza was the very first, then One Shell Plaza....and so on all along Smith St. After that, I moved eastward, and every where else!

 

 

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Maybe make Texas Medical Center then work up with Hermann Park, Museum Park, and Midtown as in-fill.  :)

 

Ohhhh, nice idea!! I will take that in to consideration, my friend! Thanks for the tip!!!!!

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Hey Rudy, very nice work!  What scale are you using?  I read up above that everything is "not to scale", which, if so, why not use some sort of scale?

 

As a suggestion (maybe another member suggested above?) for fun you could do some of the formerly proposed works (see many of them in Houston Potential).  Even some of the buildings like the Bank of the Southwest Tower?  Might be interesting to see them?  And I'll imagine you will find that fun to do.

 

Keep up the good work.

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Hey Rudy, very nice work!  What scale are you using?  I read up above that everything is "not to scale", which, if so, why not use some sort of scale?

 

As a suggestion (maybe another member suggested above?) for fun you could do some of the formerly proposed works (see many of them in Houston Potential).  Even some of the buildings like the Bank of the Southwest Tower?  Might be interesting to see them?  And I'll imagine you will find that fun to do.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Hi! Thank you for the nice compliments!

To be honest, this model could be at a certain scale but I'm not very good at calculating all that lol so I just go by visualization, and once I make one structure, I use images to "measure" them up to the others. I know it sounds "weird" or "unprofessional" and I really need to learn how to do the proper scaling for my models.

I can tell you this: The Wells Fargo Building (which was the first building on the model) is 8 1/2 inches tall from the base to the top of the addition on the roof, which I'm guessing are the A/C fans? So all the other buildings were "scaled" following the WFB. Some may be a hair off accuracy, but if/when I should become a professional, I'll make sure to be very precise lol.

And yes, I will make some of those towers that were never built for the model just to see what our skyline would've looked like. I've seen other pictures and illustrations from the past that showed the potential, but to have it sitting in front of my eyes would be awesome. And maybe..just maybe...inspire someone to actually give us a supertall in the near future!!!

Thanks again for your comment and all the best to you and your family! :lol:

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  • 2 months later...

Hello all! I was looking at Google Imagery the other day and somehow overlooked the One Park Place building that sits just in front of Discovery Green! So once I got over my slight cold, I made it for my model...and here it is! I'm not sure how I overlooked it! Bing Imagery shows the construction on it, but again, Google clearly shows it, and it was invisible to me. With its gable-topped roof, it certainly stands out, and it surely needed to be added to my model.

 

 

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